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Based on the empirical evidence regarding internet survey data quality, explain why the board member's concern is a misconception. Contrast the board member's assumption with actual research findings regarding the psychological adjustment of online users and the comparability of online data to traditional methods.
Case context: A university institutional review board (IRB) is reviewing a researcher's proposal to transition a long-running survey on personality traits from physical paper questionnaires to an online format. One board member raises an objection, arguing that online respondents are likely to be psychologically maladjusted compared to the general population, which would skew the study's findings and make the data incomparable to the previous years of paper-based data.
Question: Based on the empirical evidence regarding internet survey data quality, explain why the board member's concern is a misconception. Contrast the board member's assumption with actual research findings regarding the psychological adjustment of online users and the comparability of online data to traditional methods.
Sample answer: The board member's concern is an unsupported misconception. Empirical evidence demonstrates that online users do not differ significantly in terms of psychological adjustment (such as depression or general adjustment markers) compared to nonusers. Furthermore, research indicates that data collected from web-based studies is robust and that the overall findings remain consistent with those gathered through conventional, traditional survey techniques. Therefore, the transition to an online survey is not expected to invalidate or make the data incomparable to previous paper-based versions.
Key points:
- Identifies the board member's concern as a common misconception rather than a scientifically supported risk.
- Explains that research shows online users do not differ significantly from offline users on markers of psychological adjustment.
- Explains that empirical findings from internet-based studies are consistent with and comparable to traditional survey methods.
Rubric: The response must demonstrate comprehension of the research by explaining that online users do not differ significantly in psychological adjustment and that findings from online surveys are consistent/comparable to traditional methods, correcting the board member's specific objection.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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